This invention relates to aquatic animal containing devices, and more particularly to a device for keeping and maintaining live fish in a receptacle, such as a live well in a boat.
In most cases, it is desirable to keep fish or other aquatic animals alive until one is ready to clean and dress said fish in order to prevent spoilage and maintain freshness of the fish. Moreover, in fishing tournaments, especially bass tournaments, it is required that fish be kept alive until weigh-in and returned to the originating water body. Sometimes, a pail, cooler or other container is used to retain fish or aquatic animals. However, most fishing boats contain a built-in live well in which the fish are maintained. Unfortunately for fishermen, aquatic animals and fish, especially bass, possess amazing leaping abilities and can leap out of a live well or other container if it is not covered at all times. Moreover, even when uncovered for a brief moment to retrieve the fish for weighing, cleaning, or other reasons, fish can escape from a live well.
Thus, a significant need exists for a device that will keep the fish and other aquatic animals from escaping from a live well or other container and still allow the fisherman to retrieve the fish when and as desired
Also, fish and aquatic animals often die if not maintained in water having a temperature similar to that from which they originated. When the live well is open, the fish are exposed to light, which causes the fish to become agitated. This invention diffuses the sunlight thereby decreasing the agitation of the fish. Therefore, there is also a need to have a device that would not only keep the fish from escaping but also keep fish from becoming agitated and possibly injuring themselves.
The prior art is devoid of any device similar to the present invention but does contain some covers for live bait receptacles and containers for maintaining fish. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,773,804 by Bergren, dated Aug. 26, 1930, teaches a pail for holding bait which has coiled springs across the pail to III, dated Feb. 5, 1995, shows a mesh bag for holding keep bait from escaping. U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,190, by Garlick, aquatic animals. U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,263 by Farmer, dated Aug. 4, 1964, teaches a receptacle for holding live bait, said receptacle having a cover that has resilient cross members with an opening down the middle so one can reach the bait by hand. U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,402, dated Apr. 25, 1967, by Scott et al. shows another live bait container having a rubber cover with a slit to grab the bait. U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,770, by Giordano, dated Nov. 8, 1955, shows a live bait floating pail with covers. U.S. Pat. No. 2,732,653 by McGee, dated Jan. 31, 1956 shows a flying live-bait container with a diaphragm cover having a slit therein for reaching bait. U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,329 by Chiu, dated Feb. 2, 1971, shows a fish-holding bag with a one-way entrance so fish cannot escape. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,741 by Adams dated July 30, 1957, shows a bait box with a cover and opening therein.
None of the above prior art contains any device similar in structure or use to the present invention which solves the problems of maintaining fish and aquatic animals in a live well by keeping the fish from escaping and allowing the fish to be retrieved as desired.